Garage Driver's Day

Wine is often called the nectar of the gods. The popular alcoholic drink is produced both on an industrial scale and at home. On October 23, an unusual holiday is celebrated all over the world - Garage Driver's Day. At the origins of the tradition of producing small batches of products made from their own vines in family wineries is a Frenchman of Algerian origin, Jean-Luc Tunevan. He bought in 1991 600 acres of vineyard in Saint-Emilion in the Bordeaux region. The enterprising master carried out the processing and production of wine in a house the size of a garage. Monsieur Tunevan sold the products of the farm in his own bar. The first 1,500 bottles, priced at 62 francs (equivalent to 13 euros) each, sold out very quickly. After 6 years, the value of Chateau Valandraud, named after his wife's surname "Valandraud", increased 7 times. In 2012, the brand was included in the classification of Saint-Emilion wines. The concept of “garage winemaking” was officially recognized and consolidated. In different countries of the world, masters who personally produce and sell wine to consumers are called differently. In France, garage producers are called micro-cuvee, in Spain - Bodega Familiar ("family winery"), in Switzerland - vigneron encaveur (from cave - cellar). In most countries there are associations of independent winemakers. The tradition of producing wine in small family wineries is not the exclusive domain of French or Italian winemakers. In our country, such trademarks as “Serdyuk’s Dacha” are widely known. The drink from a small winery located in Novocherkassk does not contain sulfur dioxide or other preservatives. Every year, the family enterprise produces about 10,000 bottles of wine with a unique taste and aroma from Tsimlyansky grape varieties Saperavi and Rkatsiteli. Garage Driver's Day is celebrated annually by the founder of the Vina Bani brand, Yu. Khimichev. His micro-winery was founded on the Don in 2010 in the premises of a former farm bathhouse. The holiday is also professional for A. Mamonov, a hereditary master from Tsimlyansk, who produces about 900 bottles of the drink with a bright aroma and rich taste. To preserve the natural taste, no preservatives are added to the wine. One of the oldest farms in Russia was founded in 1990 in the Lower Volga by garage owner D. Gusev. It produces wine in quantities of up to 10,000 bottles per year from autochthonous vine varieties (Krasnostop Zolotovsky, Marinovsky, Sibirkovy, etc.). The estate also produces “Assemblage” - a sparkling brut aged for at least 9 months, produced using classic champagne technology. Micro winemakers are engaged in processing raw materials and bottling drinks at enterprises located on the territories of private households. The small volume of alcoholic beverages produced per year is due to the size of the farm, manual harvesting and sorting of vine bunches. The wines are made using ancient technologies and unique family recipes that are passed down from generation to generation. Professionals are proud of the quality and taste of their products, raising their glasses in honor of Garage Day on October 23.